The Drum and Bell Towers are built on a north south axis separated by a small bustling called square-Culture Square which has been a flourishing commercial area for over 700 years.Drums and bells were used in China for over 2,000 years to tell the time and every major city had a drum tower and bell tower. With a long history, they were once the time-keeping Centre in the capital of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The two ancient towers are built in classical Chinese imperial style that you should not miss in your Beijing tours. Each is different in appearance, and although similar in function, how they work is quite different.
The Bell Tower and Drum Tower of Beijing were listed as the cultural relics under municipal protection in 1957 and listed as a cultural relic under state-level protection in 1996.
Used during the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1911), and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties, the Drum and Bell Towers functioned as ancient Beijing's time keepers. They set the pace and rhythm of daily life for everyone, from the emperor to the common citizen. The Drum tower's drums were used to keep time at night, while the Bell Tower's bells kept time during the day. The acoustics of the Drum and Bell Towers was so good that they drums and bells could be heard throughout the ancient city of Beijing. Beginning at 7:00p.m. the drums in the Drum Tower were beaten every two hours through the night until 7:00a.m. The towers were used for centuries until 1924 when they stopped being used. Many people could by that point own their own clocks and the Drum and Bell Towers were considered outdated concepts.
Originally built in 1272 (during the reign of Kublai Khan,Yuan Dynasty) and located 100 meters south of the Bell Tower, Beijing's Drum Tower is one of the oldest buildings in Beijing. The Drum Tower is built on a 4 meter high stone foundation with a wooden structure built on top. The entire structure is 46.7 meters high. The Drum Tower is a two story building. On its second floor there originally were 25 drums. Among them, there were one big drumw measuring two meters in diameter and 24 smaller drums (The big one represents a year and the 24 small drums represent 24 solar terms of China). Unfortunately, only the big drum remains. There is a balcony surrounding the second floor that provides stunning views of Beijing’s inner city. At 7:00p.m. the drums were beaten quickly 18 times then slowly for 18 times. It was beaten in cycles until it was beaten for a total of 108 times.(108 times represent one year in ancient times.) This announces the beginning of the night watches. The drums were beaten every two hours which not only announced the time, but also the change of the guards in the city.



Travel Tip:
How to Get to Bell TowerChinese name: 钟楼 (zhong lou)
Tel: 86-10-84036706
Add: Linzi 9, Zhonglouwan, Dongcheng District, Beijing (北京市东城区钟楼湾临字9号)
Entrance fee: CNY 15 (Bell Tower) ; CNY 20 (Drum Tower)
Opening time: Daily 9:00a.m. - 17:00p.m.
By bus: No.5, 60, 107, 124, 635 and get off at Drum Tower (Gulou) Station.
By subway: Line 2: get off at Guoloudajie Station, Then exit at Exit B and walk south straightly
Line 8: get off at Shichahai Station, Then exit at Exit A and walk north straightly.
》》》Recommended Drum & Bell Tower Tour
Old Beijing Hutong Tour - Classic Route